Tom Powers: Backstrom's snap decision backfires on Wild

Nashville Predators left wing Martin Erat taps in the puck for an easy goal as the Wild's Jared Spurgeon dives to try to get a stick on it. Minnesota Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom came out too far and failed to clear the puck, setting up Erat's goal. (Pioneer Press: John Autey)

Ever hear 17,540 people gasp in unison?

Make that 17,542 if you count Nik Backstrom of the Wild and Martin Erat of the Predators.

The score was tied at 1 with a bit more than eight minutes left. And then it happened -- like a thunderclap! There was the puck, floating in no-man's land. It had drifted over the Wild blue line after a Zach Parise pass to, well, nobody had skittered down the ice. Erat was the first out of his zone in hot pursuit. Backstrom had to figure out what to do: go for it, stay back, say a Hail Mary ...

"It's a decision I have to make," Backstrom noted. "If I don't go out, he's got a break."

Backstrom lurched forward! It was a race between him and Erat. Wearing all those goalie pads didn't enhance Nik's speed, of course. But he had no time to change clothes. And yet he somehow managed to beat Erat to the puck! And then, and then ...

"He hit me right in the pants," Erat explained.

Yes, it wasn't the best clearing pass. Backstrom shoveled the puck into Erat, who gathered control, skated in all alone and did the hockey equivalent of a slam-dunk.

"This happened to us last year," Erat said. "The clock always goes around."

I think that's from an old Czech proverb or something. Well, Erat is an old Czech. He's in his 10th year with the Predators and is known as a very calm, sure-handed player.

The pace was rather brisk at the start but then bogged down. The checking was pretty tight as we neared the end. Overtime seemed a sure thing and probably a shootout, too. Then this goofy play popped up out of nowhere.

The Wild were buzzing in the Nashville end when Parise jumped on the puck and tried to whip it back to Jared Spurgeon at the point. The only problem was that Spurgeon was not at the point. He had decided to try to break in toward the net. That's when the collective gasp from the announced crowd of 17,540 caused the arena banners to flutter.

"I kind of misread what he was doing," Parise said. "A little mistake there on my part."

Well, "little" is in the eye of the beholder. But it was an honest mistake. To that point, Parise had been having another good game. But as soon as he let that one go, he wanted it back.

Meanwhile, Nashville goalie Chris Mason knew exactly what was happening. There is a brotherhood among goaltenders, you know, although that did not stop Mason from thinking: There but for the grace of God go I.

"It's a baaaad feeling," Mason said. "I've been on the other end of that. Stay in and then go, stay in and then go ..."

"It was right in between them," Mike Yeo lamented. "That puck couldn't have been in a worse place."

Yeo then gave his boilerplate speech about his team competing hard and all that. But underneath you could see he was a little miffed that the game hadn't been salted away earlier. Yet there are so many variables at the start of this season that the concept of consistency is just wishful thinking on the part of any coach.

One screwy play can affect everything. And this was a screwy play. But no doubt you've seen it for yourself by now. It's the type of goal that will be replayed endlessly on all the TV sports shows: at regular speed, slow motion and super-slow motion.

Backstrom made the right decision to race for the puck instead of settling back and waiting to defend against a breakaway attempt. His mistake was in not clearing it properly once he got there.

"I have to get it out," he agreed.

Tough break, really. Backstrom certainly will bounce back. His makeup is such that this whole incident will be forgotten the next time he steps on the ice. Still, it might be a good idea if he didn't watch television for a few days. Who wants to see the damn thing a hundred more times?